


Unexpected

by natsuyo0329



Category: The Tomorrow People (2013)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-25
Updated: 2015-06-16
Packaged: 2018-02-06 03:33:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1842799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natsuyo0329/pseuds/natsuyo0329
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John finds himself wanting to have a "connection" to someone just like Cara has with Stephen. This takes him to Astrid where he tries to learn more about Stephen and what makes him so special. When he returns to the Lair he finds Cara and Stephen hugging and again he feels Jealous....</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It Begins

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing with this pairing... Not beta'd or anything freshly wrote. Will eventually involve intercourse but theres build up until then... Hope you enjoy it enough to comment ^_^

His mouth was in a thin line again, but only for a split second before John plastered his fake smirk on his face. That word was uttered, even if by accident, the word that sent a shiver down his spine. _Connected_. Cara and Stephen, they both throw the word around unaware that every time it stabs him in the chest. Even if Cara says that she loves John, Stephen will always have a leg up with the _connection_. He wanted to know more about Stephen and what made him so special... so he went to visit Stephen's best friend Astrid.

She was an interesting human who made him feeling lighter in someway. Being able to help people gave him a sense of purpose now that Cara was Leader of the Tomorrow People. Charlie from the Citadel made him feel needed again when he helped her with her powers. Now Astrid needed his help with her fear of living after being gunned down by the Founder. He took this time to find out how Stephen was growing up as a conversation filler. By the end of the conversation John found himself showing the human a real smile. The last time John smiled for real was when he was reading that Flash comic before the Newspaper Stand man, his friend, was killed by Ultra.

When John teleported back home he was light hearted again. He was greeted by everyone, Charolette was holding her doll and smiling at him too. All was right until he was about to walk into Cara's room John saw her hugging Stephen tightly. John didn't know what got into him as he stormed into the room and coughed to get their attention. Stephen immediately broke contact with Cara and put his hands up in a mock innoscent gesture. Cara looked at John with eyes pleading, pleading something that he couldn't get a read on, he's never been able to use his telepathy on her.

John gruffed out, "Let's go to the training pit. I want to see how well Ultra is training you."

Stephen nodded a bit sheepishly at the request and made John smile darkedly on the inside. He couldn't tell if his smile was showing outwardly or not.

Before he forgot he told Cara, "You don't have to watch." She gave a stern look at him and was about to reply when John continued, "Really, I won't hurt him. I just want to guage their training program now."

Cara had her lips set in a grim line but nodded before she walked off to see what the other Tomorrow People were up too. John walked Stephen over to the room where they would prepare, he took off his shirt like he always did and started to work his muscles, getting ready for the fight. Stephen stared at him like a lost sheep and just stayed with a tight fitting long sleeve shirt and the jeans he brought with him. On their way to the training area, John grabbed the Jaunt stick and continued behind Stephen, eyeing him up from the back.

Broad shoulders, slighly broader than his own. Thin waist, about the same size as his own. Round ass, not that it really mattered. Long muscular legs, which made him slightly taller than John which was a little bit of an advantage, but John wouldn't say anything. As John analyzed Stephen, the taller man walked stiffly like he knew he was being sized up, it made him a little uncomfortable which John liked. They both approached the ring and John felt anxious about this upcoming match. It's not like he hasn't jaunted a lot, but this somehow felt like it was going to be a lot more fun.

"I won't use telepathy on you since you won't be able to use it on me. Make the fight a little more fair, although to be honest I will most likely win anyways." John stated in a snarky tone.

"R-Right." Stephen replied a moment later. John seemed to make him nervous.

John stood before his foe, flexing his muscles and Stephen just seemed to avoid looking at him at all. Sighing, John stated, "Fight!"

Stephen braced himself, pulling his arms up in a blocking gesture and John just smirked as he went forward, then teleported behind him where he brought his hands under Stephen's arms and had him in a head lock. His adversary struggled for a second before teleporting out of the embrace to a few feet infront of him where he turned around and charged John. The punches were slow, easily blockable. If John wasn't concentrating on trying not to read Stephen's mind he would have yawned in boredum. Then Stephen did something interesting. While faking a right hook, he teleported behind John and atempted a roundhouse kick to his ribs. John had a split second to block but then tStephen's foot wasn't there and he felt himself fall back on his ass. Stephen had used the teleport roundhouse as a fake when really he was using telepathy to yank John's feet out from under him.

"Well, that was unexpected. Kuddos to you." John stated as he got up from the ground.

Stephen actually had a smile on his face as he nodded to John. It made one of the stories Astrid told him a little earlier come back to the forefront of his mind making John smile a bit himself. Before he let the emotion get to full of itself, John teleported back behind Stephen and punched him in the ribs breaking the moment. He then teleported again to the side when Stephen tried to counter and leg swept Stephen's feet out from under him. Now Stephen was laying on his back but John didn't stop there, he teleported so he was now crouched on top of Stephen. John grabbed his wrists and dragged them to the top of Stephen's head so that his face came inches away from his opponents.

John was breathing a bit heavily now and when he took in air from his nose he smelled Stephen's sweat and surprisingly he liked it. He smirked and stated, "Now you're on the ground..."

Stephen tried to lift his arms and couldn't manage it. He liked the way John was strattling him and realized he was getting a bit too happy about it. He atempted the struggle again and then teleproted out from under the older man. Realizing that the Jaunt stick was right at his feet, Stephen kicked it up to his hands and took a defensive pose with the wepaon. John casually got up to his feet and turned to face Stephen that ever present smirk still on his face. Stephen vowed that he was going to get a smile out of the man even if he got seriously hurt doing so.

"Ohh! Newbie has a weapon now!" John sneered towards Stephen. Before teleporting in close and grabbing the Jaunt stick as well.

The both stuggled for control of the weapon, twisting and turning in eachother's arms until John managed to get Stephen in a choking hold using the stick. Stephen dropped his hands and teleported out of the hold after bumping into what seemed to him a semi errection coming from John. _That was strange, thought he loved Cara_ , Stephen thought to himself, glad that John wasn't using telepathy. It brought to question why he was starting to get a hard on for the older man too. Sure he was a great leader, knowledgable, strong, incredibly good looking, and the list went on. Every time he caught a glimpse of John shirtless his eyes would linger. Even if he had this "connection" with Cara Stephen really wanted to get to know more about John and his time at Ultra.

John wanted to see Stephen shirtless as the younger man stood there panting, trying to get some air during their fight. He took this moment to devise a plan to rip it using the Jaunt stick and decided that they had enough of a break to catch their breaths. He teleported just far enough in front of Stephen and swung the stick out forcing Stephen to take a step back but he wasn't fast enough for the weapon to snag the shirt and tear a gaping hole in it. A big smile graced his face as John cheered in success inside his mind. Stephen looked at John dumbfounded at what he had just done.

"What?" John asked quizically.

"You smiled... I haven't seen you smile before and wondered-" Stephen cut himself off before he said something he might regret.

John thought about that and replied while tossing the Jaunt stick to the ground, it's job complete, "I smile all the time."

Stephen shook his head in defiance and stated, "No, you smirk. Sometimes I wonder if it's even real or not."

John stopped smiling at that comment. It hit too close to the truth. He wondered for once if anyone else caught onto his fake smirking, the mask he usually hid behind. Stephen was watching John as he thought of these things and realized that he was removing his long sleeve shirt as he was doing so. The muscles in his stomach contracted and as he stretched the shirt over his head, John noticed the chest Stephen had and was slightly jealous about how much better it looked compared to his own. Stephen's biceps contracted and released as he finished removing the shirt above his head. John had to make sure he wasn't staring too blatantly when Stephen finished his undressing, he had to school his thoughts and force his lips to not smirk or smile or frown. It was hard.

Now both men were standing in front of eachother, sweat dripping down their chests and stomachs. Stephen broke John's thoughts when he teleported and hit him in the ribs with a closed fist. John then teleported and retailiated with a kick to Stephens obliques. The two exchanged blows on eachother, smiling all the while until both of them just collapsed onto the floor. John turned his head to see Stephen staring at him, a look of glee in his eyes and John couldn't help but return the look.

"You need... to work on.... your kicks... and follow through.... on your punches more..." John heaved out between breaths.

Stephen just nodded and then went back to staring at the ceiling, a satisfied smile on his face. He liked training with John and wondered when he would get the courage to actually talk to him. If this training session was any indication, John had feelings for him too. Cara was great and everything but Stephen really wanted John. For once he wondered if John wanted him too. His thoughts were interrupted when John's hand appeared in front of his face, an offer for help getting up. Stephen gladly accepted the hand and watched as John's arms flexed, easily pulling him to his feet.

"Good training. We need to do it more often." John said before turning to leave the room. He needed to go deal with Cara, something that he was dreading. She already didn't trust him since the time she found out he could kill, one of the many mountain of lies between them. His mask of a careless smirk sliding into place when he left the younger man in the training room.


	2. Post Exile.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John just got kicked out of the Lair by Cara and is found roaming the streets a bit drunk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Two! Wrote it the same night as Chapter One and had to post it.... It deals a little with what could have happened before Stephen enter's his house with a stumbling John to what I wanted to happen during the rest of the night! As before, beta'd by myself and no other. Please comment if you like ^_^

"You need to leave. You are no longer welcome here...." Cara's voice echoed in John's head as he walked the streets, an alcohol buzz raddling his brain. Sure he was purposely pressing her buttons but she wasn't making the right choices! She was going to let Stephen get tortured, loose his powers, or worse, die at the hands of the Founder. Now he was homeless and didn't have any family to watch his back if Ultra showed up. When his feet stopped walking, John realized that he was standing in front of Stephen. _Would Stephen let him stay at his house?_ John wondered as he walked up and pressed a hand on to Stephen's shoulder.

"H-Hey! How're ya tonight Stephen?" John asked his speech a little slurred.

"What are you thinking, wandering around the streets alone and drunk, while Ultra might be around any corner?" Stephen sighed out the question, thinking how lucky he was to find John on his way to the Tomorrow People's Chinese Food Place hang out.

John showed a real smile at the thought of Stephen worrying about him. He garbbled out, "H-Hey, I'm-I'm not, drunk."

"It looks to me you can barely stand on your own..." Stephen stated as he brought John's arm over his back to help stabalize him.

"I-I just needed, shomething to, err, help me forget tonight." John stated, pleased that Stephen was helping him with his balance issue.

Stephen sighed and said, "You're coming to my house."

"Your, mom won't...mind?" John asked as he felt his eyelids get heavier, maybe he was a bit drunk after all.

"No, she's a Tomorrow Person as well. She'll understand." Stephen said as they walked into the alley allowing him to teleport them to the front of his house.

Stephen walked John through the front door just as his mother walked up to greet him. A disapproving look all over her face, "Who's this Stephen?"

"John, a friend. He needs a place to crash for a while." Stephen said as John uprighted himself on his own.

"Now? He can't stay here." Stephen's mom asked incredulous.

"M-Maybe I should go..." John stuttered out and made to leave.

"No, I'll make up the couch you're staying here tonight." Stephen said as he grabbed John's arm and squeezed a little for emphasis.

"Stephen can I talk to you in the kitchen please?" Stephen's mom stated clearly before turning from them and walking towards the kitchen where John wouldn't hear them.

John sighed as Stephen walked away allowing him to walk slowly over to the couch in front of him. The spot where Stephen had touched on his arm was burning with the contact and John wasn't sure if it was just the booze making him think that. He sat on the couch and ended up slowly falling onto the little red pillow conviently placed next to him. _This couch is surprisingly comfortable..._ John thought as he grabbed the pillow and placed it on his lap. He then cranned his neck back and closed his eyes knowing that Stephen would convince his mother to let him stay at least the night. Stephen was good at that, talking to people, he was whats-it-called....Charismatic.

Before John was completely out, he felt someone touch his arm and knew it was Stephen by the smell uniquely his own. He asked with his eyes still shut, "How was the conversation with your mom?"

"She said you can stay tonight but you have to leave tomorrow. Don't worry though, I'll get her to let you stay longer if need be." Stephen stated, his voice sounding just as comfortable as the couch was. John wondered that if sound could have a feeling, he thought Stephens would feel like felt or satin.

"I know you would. I like you Stephen. You are a genuinely good person." John said as he felt Stephen move him into a laying down position and a cover being placed on top of him.

Stephen was glad that John's eyes were still closed as he manuvered the older man on to the couch becasue he could tell that blood was rushing into his cheeks making a blush break out all over his face. _It must be the alcohol talking_. Stephen thought to himself but couldn't stop himself from saying outloud, "I like you too John."

John's eyes were opening but not before Stephen turned around and ran to his room slamming the door. Stephen closed his eyes and breathed in and out of his nose for several moments wondering what had come over him. John could blame the booze with his statement of liking him. What could Stephen blame it on? Nothing. All he could hope for was that John would be too intoxicated and forget that he even said anything. As Stephen opened his eyes he saw John in front of his bed looking at him making him hold his breath for a moment.

"We can teleport..." John said to Stephen.

Stephen didn't know what he was supposed to say so he just responded, "Yes we can." Then he mentally slapped himself for the stupidity of the statement.

John walked closer to Stephen wondering if the words he heard the man utter were a dream or not and got his answer when he was a foot in front of him and Stephen's breathing was getting ragged. He needed to find out what his feelings were towards the high school student and wondered if in his slightly inebriated state of mind he could take advantage of the situation. _Screw it,_ John said to himself as he closed the gap between them and laced his arms around Stephen's torso. Automatically, heat radiated between them and John had a moment to think on how Cara always seemed to sap the heat from him when ever they hugged or slept with eachother.

Stephen didn't know what was going on. John was in his room, hugging him. It was like his body stopped time but he knew he didn't do that since John's steady breathing was drastically different from his own erratic heart beat. John was so warm, hot even to touch and Stephen didn't want to interrupt this event. There have been too many set backs and too many confusing things happening in his life at the moment but John was here, a constant in the tornado of his life. Stephen knew he could count on John to never change, to be a good person regardless if he could kill or not. His arms were shaking as Stephen lifted them to hug John back. It was a strange sensation, hugging another man for comfort. Completely different from hugging family members where it was all about love or women who needed something from him.

Time just seemed to stop for John as he embraced Stephen and he was reluctant to break the contact as he moved away from the younger man. John was inwardly pleased when he looked up to see Stephen frowning, sad even. He took Stephen's hand in his and lead him to the bed where he then stripped out of his shirt, leaving his pants on but removing his socks. John then did the same to Stephen, removing his button up shirt and black undershirt followed by his own shoes and socks. They both laid on the bed staring at eachother holding hands until John yawned and motioned for Stephen to roll over. John wrapped his arm around Stephen's waist and closed his eyes, soon falling asleep to Stephen's scent and the feeling of their heart beats insync with eachother.


	3. Awkward Situations.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John needs time to think. Stephen gets busy between school and Ultra. Marla talks to John after John cooks dinner. Stephen gets home late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Three! Had an unepected burst of inspiration and wrote this Chapter faster than I thought! As always, I beta'd my self, therefore all errors are mine. Appriciate any and all comments left!

A ray of sun light broke the darkness of Stephen's room where it landed on his face. _It couldn't be morning already..._ Stephen thought as his hand went behind him expecting to feel John's warm muscular body, still asleep behind him. When Stephen didn't feel anything his eyes shot open and he sat up wondering if last night was all just a dream and John would still be downstairs splayed out on the couch. He quickly jumped out of bed and threw a T-shirt on, socks and shoes and kept the same jeans he wore to bed. _Apparently not all of last night was a dream._ He said to himself as he made his way to the kitchen to grab a fast bite of food before he had to get to school. When he didn't see John his mood dropped and he carried on through the day as per normal. School then Ultra.

John looked at all the humans bustling about the park so early in the morning. He really didn't mean to leave Stephen alone in the bed but he needed to think about what was going on with him. So he had crept slowly out of the bed and dressed infront of the prone Stephen. The younger man looked so peaceful and content while sleeping that it made John's heart ache a little bit when he left him. Stephen was an anomally in his life, so much like his mentor Roger, Stephen's father.

Cara and John have been at ends with eachother, it seemed nowadays that the only way they could tolerate eachother was when they were having sex. There was more to a relationship than just great sex though and sometimes John needed that. He needed that reassuring gesture, the night of just relaxing, of just being alone together not wanting anything. _Like the night with Stephen?_ John's thoughts betrayed him. The only time Stephen had an issue with him and it seemed brief, was when Stephen found out that he was the one who shot Roger, even if it was under orders.

"God I'm a mess." John said as he brushed a hand through his dirty blonde hair.

John decided to wander around town for the rest of the day, making sure he wasn't using his powers as to get Ultra's attention. When the sun started to set he made his way back to Stephen's house and let himself in, not surprised to find anyone home. Marla had strange shifts at the Hospital and seemed to always pick up double shifts whenever available. Luca was at some sport training event so he would be preoccupied until dinner. Stephen was most likely caught up in some debactle created by him being pulled back and forth between the Tomorrow People and Ultra. Geeze he had the house to himself and didn't know what he wanted to do first. His stomach answered for him as it growled out it's demand.

"Food it is. Let's see waht we have to work-" John stated as he walked to the kitchen and opened the refridgerator. The contents were depressing even by homeless standards. A couple condements, a quarter gallon of, John smelled the milk and pursed his nose in annoyance, sour milk, and what looked like stale bread.

He put the bread away first for later, he would make breakfast if anyone would eat it, tossed the milk and just looked through the cabnets and freezer finding little else. _Right, need to go shopping,_ John thought to himself as he teleported to a grocery store and got the necessary provisions for a good meal and even breakfast. Once he was out of the store he moved to an alley and teleported back to the Jameson's house and began cooking. It had been far too long since he last cooked a proper meal. The facilities down in the sewer weren't all that accomidating and before that he was in Ultra training his whole life. The last home cooked meal he had made was for his foster siblings before Ultra took him away.

As John placed the finished meal on the counter top, Luca came into the kitchen wide eyed and salavating something fierce. John smiled to himself and offered Luca a plate inwhich the young boy piled with food before nodding in thanks and walking out to the living room where he commenced to play video games on his lap top. Marla came home soon after Luca and walked furiously through the house and stopped dead at the sight of John standing behind the laid out food. Whatever she was planning on saying was caught in her throat for the time being which John didn't mind.

"It's been a while since this kitchen was used properly." Marla stated bluntly.

"A good home cooked meal is always warranted." John said probing a little bit.

Marla just shrugged her shoulders at the young man and replied, "Between all of our scheduals we never seem to have time for it anymore."

"That's a shame." John said before they got into a more heavy conversation.

Stephen was tired, physically and mentally. The Twin situation was weird on both parts. The argument he had with Cara strained his feelings towards her. All he wanted to do was return home and sleep the day away. When Stephen teleported into his room he shrugged off his shirt , shoes and jeans before making his way over to his bed. When he collapsed onto the blankets a rough lump smacked against his head.

"Yeow!" John's voice came out from under the covers.

"John?!" Stephen cried out as he rubbed his forehead, he got off the bed and stood there flaberghasted.

John whistled at the view of Stephen in his briefs before getting out of the bed himself. He was still wearing jeans but was glad to join Stephen in stripping down further. As he took off his jean John said, "I cooked dinner for your family tonight."

"What are you- Wait, what? You can cook?" Stephen asked not noticing that the little pain in his forehead went away.

John smirked at Stephen and replied, "Yes, I can cook. But I had to clean the whole kitchen before hand. Some of the pots and pans even the oven looked like they haven't been used in a decade."

Stephen dropped his head at the comment and stated somberly, "That's because my father was the last one to cook in it..."

John's smirk vanished as he took the few steps between himself and Stephen and hugged him tightly saying, "I'm sorry. That was rude of me."

Stephen hugged John back and his whole body relaxed. This was something that he needed after today's events. He also felt their legs touch and finally realized John was just in his briefs as well. A red flush broke out on his face and he felt and errection starting, not just his own. Was he really going to go forward with this? Just before he took the leap of faith, John broke the embrace and sat back down on the bed.

"Tell me about your day. Mine was really uneventful except for an indepth conversation with your mother." John said as he patted a spot next to him.

Stephen made his way to the bed slowly and sat down next to John and he was about to say everything that transpired until he turned and looked straight into John's hazel eyes and all thought's just disappeared. He bent in and kissed John on the lips, the barest of touches, a whisper of skin on skin before he retreated and stood up again pacing.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't- well I did- but I don't even know if-" Stephen was rambling as he walked back and forth in front of his window, he imagined that he was looking like a lunatic at the moment.

John's mind was racing, the kiss was less than a peck on the cheek as far as he was concerned. He went further in his first kiss than what Stephen had just done. But the feeling of his lips on Stephen's was electrifying. John hadn't experienced that in a long while, like when he first met Cara, before all the lies that seperated them now. He looked up at Stephen as the young man babbled randomly, a playful smile gracing his face. In a few seconds John was standing and holding Stephen painfully close to him, locking their lips together in a fevered kiss. Niether of them parted their lips to allow access to the other but that's not what they wanted...yet. They were just reveling in the feeling of their skin touching, the body heat between them and the feel of their lips pressed together.

John's hands moved over Stephen's body, commiting every muscle and curve to memory. He reveled in the fact of Stephen not having much- if any- body hair. Even with his eyes closed, John knew how pale Stehpen was, not pale, but cream colored and he loved it. The color contrasted with his own golden tanned body, light hair scattered across his chest and below his navel. Stephen was light skinned, dark haired and had light blue / green colored eyes where as John had light hair, dark skin, and dark hazel eyes. They were contradictions of eachother. But they thought the same way. Even if John had the ability to kill he never wanted to and Stephen was too kind hearted, too moral to even atempt to kill someone.

Their fever took them back to Stephen's bed where John crouched on top of the slightly taller man, a replay of their Jaunting match. But this time John was doing what he wanted to do without realizing it earlier. John broke contact with Stephen's mouth and slid his tongue down Stephen's neck, lavishing in the taste of his skin. He stayed there a moment, making circles and sucking on the skin a little, forcing moans of pleasure to escape Stephen's now unoccupied lips. A smile made it's way onto John's face as he moved down to Stephen's chest where he grabbed one of the man's nipples in his mouth and sucked gently. The motion forced Stephen's back to arch, his hips flying upward to bump into John's own body. Their briefs were strained with concealed errections.

"J-John..." Stephen begged the man on top of him. The sensations writhing through his body were making him breathe raggedly and Stephen didn't know how to stop it.

John looked up at Stephen's face and the sheer ecstasy present was making his errection painful. He let go of the abused nipple just long enough to whisper, "I love how you say my name Stephen.." before he continued his assualt on Stephen's body.

Stephen felt John's tongue carve a path of molten bliss across his body, making him squirm involunatrily. His companion had moved from his nipple off to the side where he extended Stephen's arm and licked along his oblique's up to his arm pit where another sensative area was. John didn't linger there for long however as that tortuous muscle licked along his bicep and down his forearm until John licked a circle in Stephen's palm. This was all new to Stephen as normally he would just sleep with women who practically threw themselves at him. He wasn't shallow but he knew he looked good, maybe not as good as the tanned god above him but better than most. His thoughts were interrupted when John's lips were suddenly back on his, assaulting the entrence.

John pulled back and held Stephen's hands above his head and asked with a sly smile, "Do you want me to continue?"

Words escaped Stephen as he just nodded vigorously at the question. There was no doubt that he wanted John to continue to mark his body will lips, tongue and even a little bit of teeth. However before John tried to start again he teleported off of him and into Stephen's closet. Not seconds later his door was flung open and his mother stood there with a scared look on her face. Stephen was shocked by her sudden appearance that he forgot that he was still pitching a tent in his briefs and quickly tried to cover himself.

"MOM!" Stephen cried out.

His mother looked him up and down and just stood in the door way before she said, "Sorry dear, I didn't hear you come in. You know how late it is? On a school night even! I'm going to have to have a talk with Jed about this..."

"N-No, you don't have to do that! I'm sorry I forgot to warn you that it was going to be a late night. I totally spaced and wanted to get to sleep as soon as I could." Stephen scrounged for a way to get his mother out of his room.

"Long day then... you know I worry about you right? If you need to talk or anything you know I'm here for you?" Marla said sincerely before she said her goodnights and closed his door.

Stephen said silently, "When you aren't working your here.... and even then you're just as tired."

The closet door creaked open then and out stumbled John, a large smile on his face. Even if the event was interrupted by his mother of all people John shouldn't be smiling. As it was both of them seemed less excited than they were several minutes ago before the interruption. He walked over to the bed and laid down next to Stephen but didn't try to rekindle the fire that had started before. Instead John wrapped his arms around the younger man and breathed in deeply.

"I like having telepathy some times. Helps avoid awkward situations like those." John said into Stephen's back. Before the both of them slipped into a comfortably deep sleep.


	4. Series of Events

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Norning after John stays the night. Stephen helps Russell, John atempts to help Mallory, Carra gets too invasive with John's memories, John and Carra get back together at least in the Lair, Stephen gets surprised by Hillary followed by Jed. Stephen needs someone to talk to...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a hot minute form my last post, but here is Chapter 4! Hope you like it even if im adding my own thoughts on the shows happenings. I beta'd myself.

The sun broke through the blinds on Stephen’s window, piercing the darkness in the room. John slowly opened his eyes and reveled in the warmth emanating from Stephen’s body. The younger man’s broad pale back was turned away from him as John spooned Stephen’s body. He inched his way backwards to get out of the bed and get dressed but was stopped when Stephen rolled over and draped his arm across John, holding him close. John sighed and shrugged his shoulders as he just teleported to the foot of the bed. He dressed quickly and went downstairs to cook breakfast for his housemates.

Stephen yawned and stretched in his bed, wondering what time it was. He opened his eyes towards his alarm clock and realized that he woke up five minutes before his alarm would have gone off. His gaze drifted towards the ruffled sheets behind him and Stephen sighed, John wasn’t present again and that made Stephen a little sad. Putting his hurt feelings aside for the moment, Stephen moseyed out of his bed and leisurely got dressed. When he reached the stairs he smelled food being cooked and smiled gently as he made his way to the kitchen.

“Well good morning John.” Stephen stated with the easy going grin still in place.

John turned his head away from the stove to look at Stephen and his gaze lingered at his mouth where the young man’s beauty mark stood out, stark against his pale skin. Thoughts of the previous night and the taste of those lips made John’s mouth dry and he actually licked his own lips before replying with a playful grin, “Mornin’. French Toast?”

“Sure, I’m glad that you stayed longer this morning before disappearing like the last time you were in my room.” Stephen said as he sat down on the barstool he stood in front of.

“You know that was actually just the night before last. I had- I needed to think some things through.” John said as he placed two finished French Toasts on a plate and handed them to Stephen. He turned back to the stove and turned it off and placing some breakfast on his own plate and joined him at the kitchen bar.

Stephen looked up from his food and looked at John and said, “Wow, you’ve been here for two days. Yesterday just took it out of me I guess…”

John didn’t comment on the fact that Stephen obviously didn’t want to pry into John’s business which he appreciated. Both of them ate in silence after that before Stephen looked at his watch and exclaimed how he was going to be late for school and rushed out the door. Laughing to himself, John cleaned up the dishes and the cookware he used. Now that he was banned from the Lair he really didn’t know what to do with himself. As long as he was at Stephen’s house there was no threat from Ultra. While he wasn’t in the Lair there was no guarding himself from Cara or having to reign in a brand new Tomorrow People that she finds. But that lead him to just sitting around and he was definitely not the house sitting type, regardless if he made the family dinner and breakfast and was now cleaning the dishes…

 _Ugh, I need something to preoccupy myself with something,_ John thought to himself as he dried his hands. He still hadn’t worked out yet and that was part of his morning routine, so John went down to the basement and started doing pull ups without his shirt on so he wouldn’t sweat in on it. John didn’t have any belongings except for the clothes on his back and he really didn’t want to do laundry at the moment so he stuck with the shirtless option. Once he was done working out, John left the house and wandered through the streets seeing if anything interesting would happen. Before he realized it, he was standing in front of the restaurant where the Tomorrow People hung out normally. He sighed to himself and walked in surprised to see Astrid sitting at the bar.

“Why hello there…” John said casually to the young woman, helping himself to a seat next to her. If anything this would take up a couple hours of his time. He could learn more about Stephen and maybe even learn to like her as a friend too.

Stephen was staring at the ceiling of the Ultra training room. That invention he found in the Lair was circling around his mind. It wasn’t surprising when Hillary face entered his line of sight, a pompous smirk on her face. _Right, Ultra, Training, need to get my head in the game,_ Stephen thought to himself as he stood up on his own. Sweat was penetrating through his gym clothes, as he stretched his arms to loosen the muscles. Hillary confused Stephen, he didn’t know what she was thinking or feeling for that matter. Stephen recognized the blind ambition Hillary exuded, however every now and then Stephen caught glimpses of something else that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He spared a few more times with Hillary before an agent called for the both of them. They made their way to the command room where they were told about a breakout acting like a superhero.

“Really?!” Hillary stated in a shocked tone of voice. She seemed happy about the fact that this breakout was doing something good for a change rather than just breaking the law.

Stephen looked over at Hillary’s barely masked enthusiasm and just nodded his head, exiting the command room. He ventured out of Ultra and made his way to the Lair where he knew Cara would have found out about this breakout before Ultra did. Cara did have her positive points, being the strongest telepath of their generation helped them find breakouts sooner than Ultra did most of the time. When Stephen got to the Lair he was bombarded by Russell saying how this “superhero” leaving a flower as a calling card was reminiscent of a girlfriend he had in the past. Needless to say, Stephen was hooked into finding her with Russell playing sidekick.

 _There’s no way Stephen’s father is still alive… I shot him,_ John kept repeating in his head as he goes over the plan to let Morgan attempt to get into Jedikiah’s mind. When John teleported into the hotel room to save Morgan from Jed it just reassured him of the fact that Roger was truly dead, however, when he got back to the Lair the information he provided Cara and Stephen with didn’t seem satisfactory. To put a stop to their probing, John finally agreed to let Cara into his head. He would be the first to drop his mental barriers between the two of them regardless of how cold she had become. After protecting his mind for so long it seemed unnatural for him to be completely vulnerable and John had to fight to relax so the mental probing Cara was going to do would be painless.

“I think I have a good idea where my father is located.” Stephen said as Cara finished up with John before leaving. He continued to say, “But I need my father’s device which is in my room. I’ll tell you guys if I find anything.”

John watched as Stephen teleported out of the Lair then turned his attention to Cara. Her eyes were still cold and calculating, more-so than when he left but that just made Cara more striking. The only reason he got back with her was so that the Tomorrow People in the Lair, his family, saw a united front against Ultra. As Russell would put it, “Mommy and Daddy are back together again!” The thought made a tight ball in his stomach but he could endure. Tonight he was going to sleep in his old room and be present in the morning before heading over to Stephen’s. John wanted to know what happened as soon as possible and he needed to touch Stephen’s skin, kiss those lush lips, even thinking about it was making John’s body hot and Cara must have taken it for something else because she smiled as warmly as she could, the warmth not reaching her eyes.

“Where is it, where is it…” Stephen said to himself as he wandered around his room. With a stroke of luck he opened his desk drawer and the device rolled along the wood with the rest of his pens and pencils for school. As soon as he opened the door to leave for the area his father could have been, Hillary was standing there.

“This is not a good time Hillary.” Stephen said with a shocked voice.

“This will only take a minute.” Hillary said as she sat down on his bed and ushered Stephen over.

His Ultra partner was saying something about subverting the mission, unprofessionalism, and her doubts. Stephen’s heart was ramming into his ribcage as she spoke he heard himself mumble something or another about reporting him and before he realized what was happening Hillary was kissing him! She stopped the kiss for something saying something else this time about the situation being unprofessional, Stephen needed to stop that so he leaned in and continued to kiss her, hopefully clouding her judgment. When Hillary completely broke the kiss she said something about a debriefing at Ultra in 90 minutes. Stephen’s mouth was on auto-pilot as he said something totally guy like while his mind was racing, trying to get Hillary out of his room so he could go find his father. After Hillary finally teleported away, the events of the past minute and a half came full circle and Stephen didn’t know what he had just got himself into.

“Well then, file that away for later…” Stephen said to himself as he teleported near the area Cara had gotten out of John’s memories. He pulled out the device and the light steadily blinked in the direction he was heading. Stephen ventured into the building and found the secret rooms in the back and in front of one particular door the homing device blinked rapidly. Taking a deep breath, Stephen opened the door and found Jedikiah sitting next to his father who was frozen completely. Jed said things that Stephen just nodded to, his brain malfunctioning from the Hillary incident and now finding his father, a human Popsicle in an Ultra facility with Jedikiah was too much for him to process. He teleported back home and he needed to talk to someone, not his mother, not Cara, and definitely not Hillary. Stephen reached out telepathically to John hoping that he wasn’t a sleep yet. A relieving shudder ran through his body as John replied and soon after teleported into his room.

“Do you know-” John started to say until he saw Stephen’s face, paler than normal.

“My father’s body was not cremated…” Stephen said, his voice sounded distant even to himself.

“W-What?!” John said enthusiastically. He then said, “Why aren’t you jumping up and down, giggling like a school girl or something? Celebrating with shots!”

“Jedikiah was there. He knew of my deception of Ultra…” Stephen continued to say with a hollow voice.

John sat down next to the younger man and wrapped his arm around Stephen and said, “Jedikiah is not a trustworthy man. We all knew this from the beginning Stephen…”

“Another thing is that Hillary kissed me tonight, before the revelation with Jed.” Stephen stated nonchalantly, as he leaned his head on John’s shoulder.

When John didn’t say anything immediately after that comment, Stephen turned his face to look at John’s and saw him wide-eyed and he had a grin on his face as he said, “Well, that’s surprising. Super soldier lady has a heart after all and it seems you have captured it. Tell me, was it any good? Kissing her I mean.”

“Stephen felt himself returning to normal as he said with a smile of his own, “Aw is John jealous of some Ultra trainee?”

“N-No, purely getting your opinion. Did you like the way she kissed you?” John stuttered out.

“I don’t know… you’re going to have to remind me of your kissing prowess…” Stephen said is a playful manner.

With that invitation, John pushed Stephen back so he was lying on the bed, his long legs still managing to touch the floor. He bent over the young man and kissed him deeply, a growl of pleasure unexpectedly escaping his throat as Stephen opened his mouth and let John’s tongue wrestle with Stephen’s. The kiss seemed to stop time around the two of them and John didn’t care, he relished in the feel of Stephen’s lips on his own, the scent of Stephen’s skin invading his nostrils, and the curves of Stephen’s chest and body as John’s hands took their time mapping out his body. As John pulled away slowly, he was pleased to find Stephen reaching his head up to prolong the endless kiss. John knew without a doubt that he managed to make Stephen forget about Hillary in that moment and he was wickedly happy about it.

“I’m going to have to return to the Lair tonight so the others see me in the morning… Have to show a united front to the kiddies.” John said to Stephen as he combed his hand through the younger man’s hair.

“I know… what do you think I should do about Hillary?” Stephen asked, fighting tooth and nail against a feeling of moving his head more into the hand gesture.

“Honestly, see where it goes. It seems like it will payout in the long run, having an ally in that building. I don’t have to like it but I think it’s necessary.” John said and he felt his lips go in a line of disinterest. Stephen was his.

Stephen heard the distaste in John’s voice and he couldn’t help but adding, “I may not like it but you have to put on a show for the other in the Lair with Cara…”

“Touché.” John admitted with his smile back. He leaned over and gave Stephen a chaste kiss before saying good bye, teleporting back to the Lair.

Stephen was still smiling as he undressed, totally forgetting about the Ultra Debrief he was supposed to attend. _Oh well, what are they going to do fire me?_ Stephen thought to himself as he closed his eyes dreaming about the older man who shared his bed the night prior. He was looking forward to when John would sleep with him again and some dark part of him wanted more but he would wait until John was ready or he could just surprise him one night. Yes, surprising John could be to Stephen’s benefit…


	5. Wrap up and New Beginings...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summerizes a ton of Canon and picks up after Canon...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been two years since I felt inspiration strike me as hard as it did for the past few days. I've been busy going to school in the medical field and have honestly little interest in continuing my fanfiction with The Tomorrow People after the cancled the show after only ONE SEASON!! But! I got a comment even after the two years had come and gone and decided to give it a shot. I reread my fanfiction and cringed at all the grammar and spelling errors and ended up writing a new Chapter! Hopefully more inspiration will find me. Until then! Enjoy. As Always, Not Beta'd.

_This wasn’t happening_ … John was- human. He had been dropped off with a message from the Founder about renegotiating a truce between Cara and him otherwise they would all end up dead, or worse, no longer able to use their abilities. Cara’s face was playing through the emotions that were accurate for the situation but they never reached her eyes. Hillary had more of a heart than her and she was a triple agent who ultimately ended up sacrificing herself to try and kill the Founder. I may not have loved her as she loved me, but I was starting to like her and felt like she belonged with the rest of us down here in the abandoned sewers.

I stared at the door separating me from John, briefly wondering what my parents scurried off to talk about. All in all it didn’t seem as important though, since my mind was more preoccupied with thoughts of John. Seeing him in the Ultra facility brought memories from several months ago when he was facing the same predicament before we found out the Founder’s true goals; back when I still felt like Cara and I had a connection; before I realized I had feelings for John or that time could have been one of the profound moments that made me start to respect him.

~~~

“John’s been captured!” Russell yelled throughout the Lair, waking me from my thoughts of what had transpired between me and Cara the other day.

A dark part of my self was excited for the opportunity to get closer to Cara but it didn’t feel right. Even with John’s revealing about him being scientifically altered to be able to kill by Ultra had left the rest of us emotionally strained, mostly Cara herself, I ended up rushing into the main living area. All the others were whispering amongst themselves about wondering what was in store for the former Leader of their merry little band of misfits. Cara made her appearance shortly after I did and motioned for Russell and me to follow her into the strategy room, well I called it that since it was where Tim was set up.

“How are we going to get him out?” Cara asked the two of us.

There was a little pain in my chest from the emotion she used while speaking of John even though she was the one who kicked him out. Russell looked between the two of us and finally said, “I have no freaking clue. We need information.”

Cara looked at Russell like he sprouted two heads before she let that sink in and said, “You’re right. Stephen, can you reconnoiter while we look for more information using Tim?”

I hesitated momentarily which crossed Cara’s eyes before I stated, “Sure, Jed is busy with the Founder so he hasn’t been putting me under the microscope lately, shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Be careful of the Founder. I can’t get close enough to help you because he’s that much more powerful than me.” Cara replied, and for a moment it seemed like she cared.

“I’ll turn in for the night then. I will have a busy day tomorrow.” I said before teleporting back to my house and walked straight up to my room without giving any explanation to my mother for where I have been. However, sleep eluded me as memories of having Cara in the same predicament just a couple of weeks ago were brought forward in my mind. The same trick might work twice but there wasn’t any guarantee, especially with the Founder there. I would have to do as Cara said and gather information to formulate a better plan so John could get out safely.

I started to think about John then. How he was crude, abrasive, and on more than one occasion I wanted to hit him really, really hard, but also he was nice in his own way, he cared about everyone, and he was strong. Without realizing it I had come to rely on John whenever I was in a pinch; he was part of what I was starting to realize was a second family within the Tomorrow People. Without him it wouldn’t be the same. We needed to rescue John and I had to make sure no one figured out what we were doing.

“Stephen!!!” my mother called from down stairs.

Sighing, I opened my eyes to the sun breaking through my blinds and only five minutes before my alarm was supposed to go off. I hadn’t even noticed that the night had skipped over because of everything going through my mind. Stretching my arms as I got out of bed did little to alleviate any of the thoughts that kept my mind occupied all night but it felt good nonetheless as I continued my morning routine. After closing the mirror in the bathroom I looked at myself for a moment and realized that I had put on muscle from when I joined the fight between Ultra and the Tomorrow People; all the training and fighting had toned and defined my body more so than it already was.

 _Stephen, you ready?_ Cara had asked telepathically.

I shook my head and realized I was standing outside the Ultra Headquarters, looking at my reflection in one of the tinted glass walls that surrounded the building. I replied, _Of course._

The Ultra building felt hollow and alien to me as I walked through the front doors, not that it had ever felt like a welcoming institution before but it seemed worse than before. I went straight to where they were holding John because something in me needed to make sure he was still alive, still his arrogant and snarky self. My lips went into a serious expression as I closed in on the same room that Cara was held in. I knew they had an armed guard on the door as there always were with captured Tomorrow People but John was warranted two guards since he was the only one of our race that had the ability to kill, not that he took advantage of that fact.

I walked up to the door and looked through the little window and was surprised to see the Founder in there, interrogating John. It seemed like the Founder was able to kill people as well since he was telekinetically choking the life from John and then continuously tossed him around the room like a rag doll. The older man was toying with John and my stomach turned at the ruthlessness the Founder was exhibiting. I couldn’t take it anymore as he held onto John’s throat for longer than he should and I ended up barged in on them.

We spat words at each other until the Founder said something strange, “-let this be you’re confession before you die. Tell Stephen how his father died.”

I looked between the Founder and John, my breath was caught in my throat making it painful to swallow. I heard Jed swallow behind me, which meant he knew the circumstances behind my father’s death as well. But he wasn’t the one who was put on the spot, John was. The Founder and my father were friends, it was one of the reasons he trusted me so thoroughly now. If he was acting like this towards John then that only meant one thing…

“You..?” I asked with a trembling voice that didn’t seem like it was my own.

John didn’t respond to my question, his eyes darted to Jedikiah which proved that he was in on it. For all I knew he was the one- no… My voice came out just as weak when I said, “You’re lying…”

There was a brief hesitation before John shook his head, even though it was the barest of motions he followed it up by saying, “I-I’m sorry, Stephen…”

He couldn’t look me in the eyes and I didn’t know what I should say to the man, who was currently riddled with bruises and wounds. Not just physical wounds but it seemed like he was struggling mentally too. He wasn’t the only one however. I couldn’t think at the moment as I stared at the man who had killed my father. It was getting hard to breathe in the little interrogation room and I needed to get out. I shook my head in disbelief before I ran out of the room, leaving the speechless Jedikiah, the battered and bruised John, and the ruthless Founder to their own devices.

My emotions were running haywire as I ran through the hallway. I was surprised when I heard Cara’s voice, _Stephen what’s wrong?_

I was so out of it I ended up saying aloud, “Nothing.”

I couldn’t deal with Cara at the moment, I needed to be alone just so I could think about what I was going to do next. Could I really just leave John here to die at the hands of this mad man? Wouldn’t it be the same as putting him to death like Jed must have done to my dad? My mind was reeling in a downward spiral and I didn’t know how to stop it.

 _Something’s wrong, I can feel what you’re feeling remember?_ Cara continued to batter my brain.

My head was clearing a little at a time as I tried to think past John being in that room and how he was going to survive the rest of the day. I replied, _We, uhm, we have to get John out. He’s not going last._

~~~

Absent mindedly, I rubbed my chin where John had punched me later that day. It was definitely the distraction we needed to get him out of there. But now… he was definitely powerless thanks to the Founder. He was currently holed up with Cara and I wanted to be the one in there to comfort him. He was right to go see her first since she was the leader of the Tomorrow People. I knew how the conversation was going to go though, since he no longer had his abilities he had no right to stay here with everyone else. She was basically going to exile him.

While Jed was researching how to get the transmitter disabled with a recently found Tomorrow Person who was a gifted scientist. We needed to delay the Founder and that’s when Cara suggested taking their power by dismantling the dam that supplied them. The mission was relatively easy since they weren’t trained to fight against us. Before we knew it we were back in the Lair but no one was there except for my mother and brother. Jeb was probably still working with Irene trying to figure out the transmitters but that didn’t matter at the moment. I teleported back to my house and explained everything to my mother before returning to the Lair to talk to Jed about what to do next.

“Irene..? Irene!” I shouted at the young woman who was barely conscious.

Gently I picked her up and walked into the main room where Astrid, Cara, and John where standing around discussing whether or not they should go after my father. I placed Irene down on the souch and looked at them and said, I’m going after my father.”

“You don’t…know…” Irene stuttered out between breathes.

“Know what?” I asked her gently.

“Jed stole her powers. Irene said that the effect is only temporary but Jedikiah went to save your father already.” Cara explained.

That was all the information I needed, as I teleported into the Ultra building. A gun shot reverberated around the hallways as I ran towards the room where the machine was fulfilling its purpose to destroy the human race. As I entered the room, the machine was powering down and Jedikiah was standing in front of my father, his gun pointed at his chest. I swallowed painfully as I went to release my father from the device the Founder had created. Barely audible words were coming out of my mouth as I brought my father to the floor, outside the four pillared corners.

“Dad… Dad…” I was holding the stinging bite of tears back as hard as I could.

He whispered, “It’s okay… everything’s going to be fine.”

The machine started to power itself back up and I briefly heard my father ask why before the Founder’s voice echoed across the room, “It had already got what it needs from you Roger…”

~~~

I was trembling inside while I waited, helpless without my powers. I wanted to be there with Stephen. I wanted to help him rescue his father and in turn save the human race. The kiss I shared with Astrid was a betrayal of Stephen, but I needed comfort after being maimed, because that’s how it felt. I had lost a part of myself and Astrid just happened to be around while Stephen was trying to save everyone. Slowly, I placed my head in my hands and closed my eyes, wishing for a miracle. Astrid placed her hand on my back and rubbed soothingly against it. She thought it was helpful but it just reminded me of one of the mornings I had woken up next to Stephen in his bed, or after a really hard day at Ultra when Stephen couldn’t save one of the Tomorrow People from being killed by Ultra. I would gently rub his back and whisper how everything was going to be okay…

Just then, Stephen teleported into the Lair without anyone with him. I knew that nothing had worked out but my befuddled brain couldn’t help but ask, “What happened?”

“My father is dead. Jedikiah shot him, hoping that it would stop the machine. But it did nothing.” Stephen spat out as he walked into the control room where Tim was set up. He came back out with a gun and stated in a seething voice, “-He can.”

Once again, my brain decided not to listen to my heart as the words that came out said, “I’m not even one of you anymore.”

“You were Annex. Why can’t I be?” Stephen stated with a crazy glint in his normally, clear blue eyes.

This time, I managed to beat the word’s before they came out and stated full heartedly, “A killer? You think-” and I was about to say, _that’s what you need to save everyone_ , but I stopped, took a breath and continued, “-You think that’s what your dad would’ve wanted?”

“He didn’t want any of this!” Stephen’s rage was hanging by a thread and everyone in the room knew it. I had to calm him down, had to get him back to his old self. He rubbed the back of the gun against his forehead which seemed to calm his temper a little before he continued, “John, where’s the facility? Where were you weaponized?”

I let out a soft chuckle before saying, “We’re not letting you do this…”

A tear escaped from Stephen’s eye as he stated gravely, “You already did.”

He read my mind even though I had tried not to think about that wretched place… Now Stephen was walking away and even Astrid tried to stop him but he shrugged off her words too. Even Cara tried to say something to get him to think clearly but it wasn’t enough. Stephen’s red rimmed eyes were past forgiveness for the man who was responsible for not just the first time his father was placed in limbo but now a second time where there was no coming back, actual death.

Stephen replied to Cara’s question, as I stood still like a statue. There was nothing I could do to stop the man I loved from becoming something that I tried too hard not to become, a killer. He stated resolutely, “Revenge,” before he teleported away.

~~~

“Cara, NO!” John had screamed and then the gunshot went off.

I ran out of the building, still fired up about my win against the almighty Founder, just in time to see Cara hit the ground. There was no way I could become the leader of the Tomorrow People and with Cara gone, they would fall into chaos. Something in me welled up at the prospect of losing her. I may not have loved her but she was like family to me. I shouted in rage and that feeling exploded outward. I opened my eyes at her body and looked at the bullet wound. It was comical, as I stared at it; the first thought that came to mind was how someone could miss a shot to the heart when they were standing so close to the person they were trying to kill. Then something weird happened. The blood receded back into the wound and Cara’s body lifted itself up like a VHS video on rewind. Soon, I was looking at the shooter and time corrected itself.

I grabbed the gun and unloaded it swiftly while stating in a chastising tone, “That’s not who we are,” before Natalie teleported away. I smiled towards John, who was still alive and realized how much of a prick I was to him in the Lair. Cara was saying something and I guess she thought the smile was for her since she came up to me and kissed me heavily. I shut my eyes and imagined kissing John after he just got into a fist-fight, leaving his lips swollen and puffy. She pulled away from me, smiling herself, and I just looked up expecting John to still be there and he wasn’t. Was I going to see John again? I’m pretty sure I would run into him if he was serious about Astrid, I mean I was her best friend after all.

~~~

“Hi, John.” Jedikiah’s voice made a shudder run down my spine after joking around with Astrid. I put on a tough display, resorting back to my ever present smirk. I wondered if Astrid realized that this was my mask, hiding the pain I felt after losing Stephen, and my powers.

I sighed wanting to be moving on with my miserable human existance, “Jed, I’m kind of busy, so…”

“Trust me, John, you’re going to want to see this.” He stated in that cocky tone of his.

Did I want to follow the man to sort of made my life a living Hell? Or did I want to play it safe and follow Astrid and learn how to be Human? I sighed again and turned towards her, no matter how hard I tried, I still thought of Stephen when I was around her and a part of me wanted to see if I could get back with him. I said to Astrid with my smirk plastered in place, “I’ll make it up to you. I promise.” For additional flair, I kissed her hand before departing the metro and after Jed.

Jedikiah led me to his apartment and around a corner form the dining area he showed me the chair that allowed a person to attain supernatural powers. I scoffed at the older man whom I used to look at as a father figure before saying, “Ha. Stephen saved the planet and you’re still trying to get powers.”

There was a slight shake to Jed’s head as he replied, “Well, these powers are for you John. Your body will accept them because you had powers to begin with. Don’t you want your old life back again? Don’t you want Cara back again?”

I exhaled a pent up breath that wouldn’t leave my lungs at the thought of getting my powers back. But the older man was wrong. I didn’t want Cara back. I wanted Stephen back. Was this even possible? I shook my head and stated, “You stole Irene’s powers and now you want to give them to me?”

“It’s not some commoner’s DNA I’m offering you, son…” Jed started to say and him calling me that made me sick to my stomach. He finished his statement by saying, “…its Roger’s.

“No.” I stated automatically. There was noway… “No. Tell me you didn’t.”

The blue luminescence that was given off by the vial’s containing Roger’s DNA made Jed seem even crazier than he already was. He explained in an even tone, “Roger was dead, his body was dead.” He inhaled before turning towards me and continued in a weirdly soft tone, “But I’ve made him immortal.”

I didn’t know what to say. Half of me wanted to get in the chair and never look back, the other half of me couldn’t believe that this man butchered his brother just to give _me_ back my powers. There had to be something else, something he wasn’t telling me. I asked, “Why? Why are you doing this?”

Jedikiah didn’t answer me straight, instead he said, still in that sickeningly soft voice, “John, I’m offering you my blood. I’m offering you my brother, the most precious part of him so that he can live on, in you.”

I said the phrase that Jed had told me right before the Founder’s machine nearly killed everyone, “I thought all any father wanted was for his son to be a man…”

“But what if you can be something _more_?” Jed countered.

Was I really going to go through with this? Was I going to sit in that chair and get injected with Roger’s super DNA? There was Astrid… the human who was never a Tomorrow Person but still wanted to show me how to live as a normal Human. There was Stephen… the man I loved and couldn’t be with because I was powerless. Would he accept the fact that his Uncle used his Father’s DNA to make me special again? Would he be able to sleep with me again- no, would he be able to even look me in the face, knowing that I was his Uncle’s science experiment?

I looked at Jedikiah and asked with a shaky voice, “W-Will Stephen ever know?”

~~~

“He doesn’t know… She doesn’t know…” Astrid was going on and on about me saving the world and how no one was aware of it. I played along and smiled weakly at her games but that was the best I could do. With Cara back in charge of the few Tomorrow People that didn’t go along with the Founder’s plot in the Lair, it let my mind wonder to thoughts about John. I knew Astrid was talking with him and I could easily figure out how he was doing but I promised her that I wouldn’t read her mind and I would up hold that promise, no matter how much it made my heart ache.

I’ve tried to route conversations into asking how he was doing and if he would talk to me, but Astrid would always deflect saying that he wasn’t ready yet. I don’t know if she knew that I loved him, but judging by her guarded look she had a haunting suspicion. Even worse it might have been jealousy. I knew that she liked him since he was with her the times that she felt like killing herself and they were together at the time where the machine nearly killed them. Those few instances might have been enough for her to think that he had feelings for her too.

“-you could have been laid?” she asked me, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“What? No.” I responded with a light hearted smile.

“Even her?” Astrid countered with a nod towards a random woman walking past us.

I decided to joke around a bit and turned towards the woman and said back to Astrid, “Really? You think I could?”

“No. I was just kidding.” Astrid replied softly.

 _Stephen, you better come down here._ Cara projected into my mind.

“That was your telepathy face.” Astrid stated when I stopped walking.

I cringed before replying, “That was Cara. I’ve got to go.”

“Well if you see John-” Astrid started.

Since I was turned away from her, Astrid didn’t see the sad frown I had made as a feeling of my heart breaking at the sound of his name. I interrupted her by saying, “Y-Yeah, I’ll tell him you’re looking.” And to throw off her incriminating stare I jokingly said, “For looove,” before I found a place to teleport to the Lair.

When I walked in there were easily fifty people standing around the main area of the Lair and I stated lowly, “Wow. Who are they?”

“Break outs. They all came here and they keep coming.” Cara stated.

“Why?” I responded.

“You must have done something at the Ultra facility that turned into some sort of homing beacon.” She guessed.

I looked out at all the new faces, hoping to see John’s among them and when I didn’t, I turned towards Cara and asked, “Why are they all staring at me?”

Once again, Cara had a ready answer that turned my stomach, “You’re their leader. They are here for you.”

I looked back over the newly broken out and then turned towards Cara and replied to her statement, “No. They’re here for us. I can’t be a leader, you have more experience than I do and you are a stronger telepath than me.”

We’re going to need a bigger Lair…” I stated under my breath before an idea popped into my head.

We were walking through the Ultra Command room when Cara said, “This is insane.”

“Why? The place that hunted them down now became their refuge.” I stated with a lit to my voice.

“What about Jedikiah? You heard from him?” Cara asked as we walked into his old office.

Once again, there was a pang in my heart for John who disappeared just as Jed did and I wondered if I would ever get him back. We played around in the chair and I wished it was John and I fussing about sitting in the burnt chair and not Cara. I really wanted it to be real and I would to my hardest to find him and try to fix everything. Cara spaced out for a second which meant someone was trying to reach out to her.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, wondering if our reprieve was over.

“I-I felt John…” she stated in a understated voice.

I felt my heart beat jump up at those words. He was alive! But… I felt my brow twist in confusion as I thought of the implications of that. Somehow John had gotten his powers back and the only person who knew how to do that was- Jedikiah. I stared into Cara’s eyes waiting for her to elaborate what she was feeling.

“It felt like… he was breaking out.” She explained.

Although I was happy and confused about the news, my brain couldn’t make sense of it. Outloud, I said, “That’s impossible.”

~~~

“What branch of defense or intelligence wouldn’t want a paranormal super-soldier?” Jed’s voice was echoing around my skull. It was like I would forever be tethered to my…father.

 _My father?_ I thought to myself. The phrase sounded so weird to me and I couldn’t say why. He had told me about his plan. I was to wait silently outside  until he told me to teleport in. It was going to be a dramatic play staring himself and I was the tool he would use to get what he wanted. That’s right, I was nothing but a weapon that my _father_ could use to take out any one of his enemies. It didn’t matter who they were, if they stood in his way, I would be there to stop them.

 _Now._ Jed’s voice stated clearly in my mind. I teleported into the room with a gun pointed directly at the Senator’s head. I wasn’t going to pull the trigger, this was all for effect. I would teleport in, scare the Senator into doing whatever my _father_ wanted. That word though, it felt strained and I didn’t know why. I stood there as Jedikiah explained to the older man about me being his first prototype. Did that hurt my feelings? I don’t know, I only felt what my _father_ wanted me to feel.

I said what my _father_ told me to say, in an emotionless voice, “Nice to meet you Senator.”

We finished up with the old man and Jedikiah decided he wanted to walk out the front door like he owned the building; which he might as well have after the show we put on. Once outside the elevator, my _father_ handed me a folder and I asked, “What’s this?”

“Our next mission.” He stated in a loving tone. That’s right, he loved me. I was his best tool.

I flipped through the folder and briefly scanned the faces of an Asian male, a Caucasian Female that reminded me of something that I couldn’t quite figure out. It was like grasping at a string that led into darkness. My _father’s_ voice rang out, clearing my thoughts of that weird feeling, “You know her?”

“Should I?” I asked, the feeling already forgotten with the sound of Jedikiah’s voice.

There was still one more photo and as I turned to it, a blue eyed Caucasian male was staring back at me. He had cream colored skin and a beauty mark under his pouting lower lip. My heart raced a little at the picture and I didn’t know why. The target’s name was Stephen Jameson and he had graduated High School this year. He looked only one or two years younger than myself. Why did that matter? There was a reason that _father_ wanted these people and I would do what he told me to do. I was his best instrument to do whatever he needed of me.

I closed the folder and started to walk next to Jedikiah with the blue eyed Stephen still in the back of my mind as I asked him, “What do you need me to do?”

“We need new recruits, with your skillset,” he stated clearly. I wondered if they were going to replace me as Jedikiah’s best instrument. No, for  _father’s_ plan he needed multiple tools. He continued to explain, “They are going to be our first recruits, the first of many…”

 _Father_ touching me still felt a little strange, and as he walked out with his arm over my shoulder, I was wondering when I was going to meet up with Stephen and find out what this strange feeling was. Until then, I would follow Jedikiah’s plans loyally. I knew my _father_ held me in high regard, even after I woke up. He explained that I was in a coma and that was the reason I had no memories of what had happened. I believed him. A Father wouldn’t lie to his son... would he?

~~~

This was all wrong… After everything with Ultra, Natalie and the other Annexed Paranormal’s broke into the Research Facility and stole the rest of the chemical that allowed them to annex other Tomorrow People. Now she and her rag-tag gang were poaching off Cara and I. Not to mention we still haven’t heard from Jedikiah or John since he went after him in the metro. It’s only been a couple of weeks but every day that I don’t hear from John kills a little more of me. Cara still hasn’t noticed that I’m faking a relationship with her to show a united front towards the new comers but she’s bound to find out sooner than later.

I was walking home from College when it happened. In a deserted alleyway I was in the middle of a paranormal battle. Except these two were shooting and deflecting bullets which meant they were both Annexed. I looked closer at the fight and realized one of them were a part of Natalie’s group and the other I didn’t recognize until he pulled a move that only one other person could do. It was John…

“John!” I screamed out his name which made his concentration waver for just a second, which allowed the Annexed soldier to get a round off which cut a path along his obliques but didn’t actually penetrate his body. The enemy retreated then, allowing John to collapse onto the pavement.

I rushed over to John and looked at him. He had the same bone structure, hair color, and eye color. The only difference was that he was clean shaven and wearing a cheap suit. John looked at me briefly before pulling his gun up and pointing it at my face. There was a lost confusion bouncing around his irises that confused me as well and I didn’t know what to do. Mother Nature seemed to help me out when John’s eyelids fluttered a few times before the gun fell out of his hand and he fell backwards, hitting his head hard on the ground. He had apparently wasted all his energy during that fight which meant the other guy was probably equally as drained.

I needed to talk to him when he recovered. I needed to know what had happened to him after Cara had felt him breakout. I needed to know about that confused and lost look he had and why he had pulled a gun on me. There were too many questions but right now, I needed to get him to a safe place and help him recover his waning strength. After grabbing one of his arms and throwing it over my shoulder, I looked around and made sure no one was watching. Briefly, I took a moment to kick John’s gun away and then I teleported us to my room where I laid him down and proceeded to get the first aid kit. Now that John was back the future seemed brighter than ever.

~~~


End file.
